| Cameron Ling | |
| Fullname: | Cameron Neville Ling |
| Nickname: | Lingy |
| Birth Date: | 1981 2, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Geelong, Victoria |
| Originalteam: | Geelong Falcons/St Joseph's |
| Draftpick: | 38th overall, 1999 |
| Height: | 189 cm |
| Weight: | 92 kg |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Years1: | 2000–2011 |
| Games Goals1: | 246 (139) |
| Careerhighlights: |
|
Cameron Ling (born 27 February 1981) is a former Australian rules footballer and three-time premiership player who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A tagger at 1.89m (06.2feet) and 94kg (207lb), Ling was also a premiership-winning captain at the club in 2011.
He is now a commentator on AFL football for the Seven Network and a special comments commentator on AFL football for ABC Radio Grandstand. He is also a member of the selection panel for the AFL All-Australian team and the AFL Rising Star Award.[1]
Ling played junior football for the Geelong Falcons[2] as a full-forward and was drafted by his hometown club, the Geelong Football Club.
In 2007, his on-field performances were rewarded with selection in the 2007 All-Australian team on the interchange. He also played a solid role in their 2007 premiership later that year in which Geelong broke a 44-year premiership drought and won by a record-breaking 119 points against Port Adelaide, a record that stands to this day.[3]
Ling served as vice-captain in their 2009 season, including the 2009 premiership in which he was considered among Geelong's best players.
On 20 January 2010, Cameron Ling was announced as the team's new captain, taking over from the recently retired Tom Harley. He captained the Cats in the 2010 AFL season and the 2011 AFL season. In 2011, he captained Geelong to their third premiership in 5 years, against Collingwood. He kicked the final goal of the match after a turnover from Héritier Lumumba.
Shortly after guiding the Cats to their 9th premiership win in their history, Cameron Ling announced his retirement on 5 October 2011.[4] Being able to nullify the opposition's best midfielder whilst managing to influence matches has made Cameron Ling regarded as one of the best-ever taggers to play AFL.[5] He was succeeded as captain by Joel Selwood.
In November 2011, Ling announced he would join Channel 7 in a commentary role on one of their Saturday night games; he also has commentated on Friday night matches. At the beginning of the 2012 Associated Public Schools of Victoria football season, Ling took up the position of Director of Football at Geelong Grammar School.
On 9 October 2013, Ling was appointed to work one day per week during the 2014 season on the development of the North Melbourne leadership group.[6]
Ling is an Australian Apprenticeships Ambassador for the Australian Government.[7]
Outside of the AFL, he co-hosts Tom, Lingy & Loggy on K Rock 95.5.[8]
In what started as a joke, following the hype of the Cats drought-breaking premiership, Cameron Ling was touted as the 'mayor of Geelong', a humorous reference to the way he is idolised by Geelong people.
On Wednesday 3 October 2007, though, Geelong's then Mayor, councillor Bruce Harwood, agreed that he'd be happy to temporarily step down for Ling. Ling's interest in politics and his intelligence is widely known, while it's been reported that he took a significant interest in local council and leadership during his days at St. Joseph's College, Geelong.
During the Premiership celebratory parade through Geelong's streets on 3 October 2007, Ling acknowledged his title as mayor; however, despite the contention it raised, it was never formalised and was merely a tongue-in-cheek publicity stunt.
In December 2012, Ling's partner Nicole Dodds gave birth to their first child.
In 2020 he was named in the St Joseph’s College team of champions, recognising the best VFL/AFL players to have attended the school.[9]
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2000|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 10 || 3 || 1 || 45 || 26 || 71 || 25 || 7 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 4.5 || 2.6 || 7.1 || 2.5 || 0.7|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2001|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 13 || 8 || 3 || 104 || 61 || 165 || 43 || 30 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 8.0 || 4.7 || 12.7 || 3.3 || 2.3|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2002|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 21 || 11 || 8 || 248 || 167 || 415 || 85 || 49 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 11.8 || 8.0 || 19.8 || 4.0 || 2.3|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2003|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 21 || 4 || 5 || 280 || 242 || 522 || 112 || 53 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 13.3 || 11.5 || 24.9 || 5.3 || 2.5|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2004|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 25 || 16 || 5 || 357 || 235 || 592 || 168 || 72 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 14.3 || 9.4 || 23.7 || 6.7 || 2.9|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2005|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 23 || 11 || 9 || 307 || 260 || 567 || 139 || 50 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 13.4 || 11.3 || 24.6 || 6.0 || 2.2|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2006|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 22 || 10 || 3 || 248 || 255 || 503 || 131 || 61 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 11.3 || 11.6 || 22.9 || 6.0 || 2.8|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 2007|style="text-align:center;"|Geelong| 45 || 24 || 28 || 6 || 215 || 261 || 476 || 107 || 69 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 19.8 || 4.5 || 2.9|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2008|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 23 || 15 || 5 || 237 || 309 || 546 || 106 || 79 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 10.3 || 13.4 || 23.7 || 4.6 || 3.4|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 2009|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 22 || 7 || 7 || 235 || 265 || 500 || 100 || 106 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 10.7 || 12.0 || 22.7 || 4.6 || 4.8|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2010|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 21 || 9 || 12 || 211 || 253 || 464 || 76 || 112 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 10.0 || 12.0 || 22.1 || 3.6 || 5.3|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 2011|style="text-align:center;"|| 45 || 21 || 17 || 9 || 265 || 192 || 457 || 74 || 92 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 12.6 || 9.1 || 21.8 || 3.5 || 4.4|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 246! 139! 73! 2752! 2526! 5278! 1166! 780! 0.6! 0.3! 11.2! 10.3! 21.5! 4.7! 3.2|}
| Brownlow Medal votes | |||
| width=50% | Season | width=50% | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 | ||
| 2001 | 2 | ||
| 2002 | 12 | ||
| 2003 | 12 | ||
| 2004 | 12 | ||
| 2005 | 13 | ||
| 2006 | 6 | ||
| 2007 | 1 | ||
| 2008 | 9 | ||
| 2009 | 2 | ||
| 2010 | 2 | ||
| 2011 | 0 | ||
| Total | 71 |
2007
2004
2000
2001
2002, 2003, 2005
2003
2005
2008
2010—2011